Strange Earthball

[Lancashire Lad]

Found today, near an area where Common Earthball - Scleroderma citrinum have previously been found.

I initlially thought this was just another S.citrinum, but have never seen any with the strange shaped growths at the base.

It almost resembles the shape of an earthstar, but is it just an unusual S.citrinum?



Regards,
Mike.

[Beamish]

Hi Mike,

Amanita rubescens, I presume..

Regards, Martin

[Lancashire Lad]

Hi Beamish,

Do you really think this would be A.rubescens?

I never even considered anything other than an earthball. (If this is an Amanita, it must be the strangest one I've found so far ).

Forgive me if I'm asking silly questions here, but would an Amanita rubescens emerge in the way that this is

It seems to be a solid mass of flesh, with no sign of a stipe etc.

I have one more shot which shows the colouration inside the "cap" where slugs have been eating.



Does this confirm your thoughts? (Or perhaps confuse things even more ).

Regards,
Mike.

[flaxton]

Originally Posted by Beamish

Hi Mike,

Amanita rubescens, I presume..

Regards, Martin

That was my first thought.

Mal

[Beamish]

Hello Mike,

I didn't think for a second this is an earthball (these non-puffing puffballs, aren't they? I am not familiar with the English names, yet). And I spent some moments scanning the web to find a similar image of this early button stage of this fungus:
Blusher - Amanita rubescens pictures from fall scenics photos on webshots
Are you convinced?

Best,

Martin

[Lancashire Lad]

Originally Posted by Beamish

Hello Mike,

I didn't think for a second this is an earthball (these non-puffing puffballs, aren't they? I am not familiar with the English names, yet). And I spent some moments scanning the web to find a similar image of this early button stage of this fungus:
Blusher - Amanita rubescens pictures from fall scenics photos on webshots
Are you convinced?

Best,

Martin

Hi Martin,
I hope that you didn't think that my reply was taking your original post lightly

I am fairly new to the world of fungi, and I had never seen an Amanita rubescens - To me it looked like an Earthball (Shows I have a great deal to learn).

Yes - I am convinced. Thankyou for taking the time to find the image.

I will have to go back to the site to see how this one grows - and maybe find another that has not been slug-eaten, so that I might obtain a good photograph.

Regards,
Mike.

[Beamish]

Hi Mike,

Yes I would like very much to see this fungus developed to confirm my guess!
By the way, I am a beginner too, in its true sense. But I learnt pluckin mushroom for the pan from my father, uncle etc. since I was a child. So I am familiar with certain species.
Now I go more for the indigestibles ..., most of them too tiny to scrape off!

Best regards,

Martin

[kiltoncomp]

Originally Posted by Lancashire Lad

I am fairly new to the world of fungi, and I had never seen an Amanita rubescens - To me it looked like an Earthball (Shows I have a great deal to learn).

Yes - I am convinced. Thankyou for taking the time to find the image.

I will have to go back to the site to see how this one grows - and maybe find another that has not been slug-eaten, so that I might obtain a good photograph.

Regards,
Mike.

Hi Mike,
these are plentifull in Clumber at the moment, i counted 100 plus of these(before i gave up counting) a couple of days ago on a visit to clumber, with around half of them being at the same stage as yours,
so you should find a few more up your way, if you can beat the slugs to them that is


Brian.

[Lancashire Lad]

Cheers Brian.

This just shows how easy it is to be completely wrong, when you don't have enough variety of experience of finding things "in the field".

I've never seen any Amanita rubescens, let alone a newly emerging one.

I hope that I can find a few more at the site. (No doubt the slugs are already there and munching merrily ).

Regards,
Mike.

[charlieb]

There's a good "comparison shot" here: Amanita rubescens Pictures, Amanita rubescens Photos | PhotoBank NaturePhoto-CZ